Underframe.



J. M. ROHLFING,

UNDBRFRAME. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24 1912.

Pateniged Nov. 11,1913.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY mr uonnls urns m, Puma-M11141. wumucrcw, nv c.

J. M.' ROHLFIN".

UNDERFRAME. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1 9 12.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR H We;

ATTORNE\ n45 mmms PEYERS m. Photo-Luna. WASNINGYON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT curios.

v ln- JOHN M. ROHLFING, OF ST. LGUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 1'0 AMERICAN CAR .ANB

FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF

sT. LOUIS, MIssoUR A conroR'ATIoN on NEW JERSEY.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

Application filed July 24, 1912. Serial lt o. 711,312.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN M. ROHLFING, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, and being a citizen of the United States, haveinvented 'certain new. and useful Improvements in Underframes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being bad to .the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a fragment of apreferred embodiment of my invention in connection with a portion of the underframe in'advance of the cross-hearer. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, with the bolster diaphragms removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the draft sills and taken on a line 33 of Fig. 2. taken on a plane indicated by-the line 4-4 plane indicated by the of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is :a view similarto Fig.- 4, illustrating a fragmentary detail of amodi-fied form of draft sills, and Fig. 6 is a front-elevation of the :bolster shown in Fig. 1, and showing-the center sills in section. 4

One object of the invention is to provide a plate girder end construction adapted to be used with an open truss girder center sill for railroad cars, the plate girder portion preferably extending from the end sill of the car through the bolsters, and as far toward the middle of the car as the first cross-bearer, orother substantial part of the underframe, this plate girder bcl-n con-nectedwith the upper and lower chor s of the truss girder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a body bolster especially adapted for use inconnection with the particular form of draft sills illustrated, which bolster is especially formed to cotiperate therewith.

To maintain the standard distance between the inner faces of the draft sills, and at the same time to adapt them for attachment to standard or commercial size rolled sections of metal, I form the draftsills 1 ig. t is a similar viewi of pressed metal, which draft sills are pro- V 1ded with offset portions 4 beyond the bolsters to provide standard or regulation spacing of draft sills, and from the point of the offset rearwardly, the webs of the draft SlllS extending through the bolsters are spaced a less or greater distance apart, though the top and bottom flanges are symmetrical throughout the length of the sills.

Disposed between the upper portions of the draft sills, and preferably flush with the top flanges and extending from a. point somewhat forwardly of the bolster to a cor responding position at theopposite end of the underframe, is a commercial size rolledchannel sectionJ, which section is riveted through its vertical depending flanges M to the draft sills, or to the offset portions 4 thereof, which, as will be noted in Fig. (3, are deflected inwardly near their upper ends, for convenient attachment to the verticalflanges of said channel, which channel is'suitably-connected to the filler R, forming part of the bolster'hereinafter described. The lower flange L. of each of the draft sills "continuous fromendto end, but is deflected upwardly, as shown at'F, (see Fig.

2.) where it passes overthe' outstanding lat eral extensions 1 of the bolster filler hereinafter more fully described.

Secured between the draft sills l and bolsters, and extending longitudinally of the center sills, is an inverted channel 2, which is secured through its de ending flanges 8 to the webs of said draft si ls, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2- and 4: but this channel may, if desired, be'eiztended to the bottom bolster plate 3, as shown in Fig. 2, or it maybe rivet-ed, as shown in Fig. 5, and terminatein alinement with the tion F of the draft sill lower flange.

By reason of the peculiar formation of the pressed draft sills, it is evident that the major portionof the web thereof may be continuous in a straight line from end to end and bespaced according to standard M. C. B. requirements, but owing to the fact that it is difficult to secure rolled channel sections of a corresponding width, the inwardly bent or-oifsct portions of the draft sills may be brought into contact with the v I depending flange of the commercial rolled section, as illustrated, and secured thereto raised porto form a stiff buffing column to resist end shocks. By reason of the inward pressing of the metal of the draft sillsat their upper may be spaced 12%" apart, 'to conform to M. C. B. requirements.

In order to fit'a body bolster to the dis torted draft sills, as above outlined, I form a continuous bolster comprising in effect three parts transversely considered; including acentral filler R, which consists of two longitudinally spaced apart inverted T- shape flanged plates fastened by means of their flanges between and to the sills 1, conforming to the configuration. of these sills and fastened to the under face of the channel section J. The outstanding lateral extensions I engage the inner side of the bottom flange of each of the side sills and extend outwardly therefrom some material distance to afford means for engaging the side bearings C at their ends. Resting upon each of the extensions I and extending outwardly from the draft sills 1, is a pair of bolster diaphragms O, O and H, H, the diaphragms being arranged as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to form a horizontally disposed V, the outer ends of the bolsters on each side having their ends fastened together by rivets 9 passing through the webs of the diaphragms adjacent their outer ends. i

-It is to be understood that the filler R forms a continuation, and in effect a connecting member between each of the diaphragms O and H, so that the two diaphragms on each side and thetwo longitudinally spaced apart fillers R between the draft sills form in effect a relatively thin diamond shape bolster having flattened outer ends.

Each of the fillers R have outturned flanges G outlining the same, and each of the diaphragms have outturned flanges N, the diaphragms being fastened to the extensions I by means of rivets 10 passing through the outstanding flanges of the diaphragms and filler, and being fastened to the draft sills by means of rivets 11.

If desired, a top bolster plate 6 may extend across the channel section J, sills 1, and be fastened by means of rivets 13 to the outstanding fianges of the diaphragms O and Y135 this top cover plate conforming to the configuration of the top of the bolster, and, as shown in Fig. 1, preferably terminating short of the outer ends of the bolsters.

As is usual with constructions of this character, a bottom bolster plate 3 may be fastened by means of rivets 14 to the bottom outstanding flanges of the filler, the transverse ends of which bolster plates may have upturned ends 15 overlapping the ends of the extension I and disposed between the ends of said extension and the downturned end 16 of the bottom diaphragm plates 17, which diaphragm plates extend outwardly over the side bearing 0, and are fastened by means of rivets 18 to the lower outstanding flanges of the diaphragms O and H, bridging the spaces between the diaphragms on each side of the draft sills. By this construction it is seen that a relatively shallow bolster diaphragm may be used, the outstanding flanges assisting to resist any buckling of the diaphragms, and the bottom and top bolster plates formin respectively tension and compression mem ers in a bolster in the form of a truss frame, parts of which frame are securely fastened to each other and to the peculiarly shaped draft sills, which construction adds transverse strength to the buffing column and materially assists to prevent the sills from spreading.

The draft sills 1 are pressed to the form indicated and are provided at their inner ends, that is the ends between the bolsters, with vertical flanges X, to which and to.

the web portions of said sills 1 are secured the cross-bearer Y, which may be, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, of channel form.

I claim- 1. The combination of draft sills positioned apart a distance to accommodate therebetween a regulation sized draft gear and a commercial channel section bridging a space between said sills less than the distance between other parts of said draft sills.

2. The combination of a pair of draft sills spaced apart a preset distance, a rolled commercial flanged section of preset width having a horizontal web portion which is dis osed between and secured to said sills, sai sills being offset in horizontal lines to fit said section.

3. The combination of a pair of draft sills spaced a art a preset distance, a rolled commercial anged section. of preset width have ing a horizontal web portion which is dis posed between said sills, said sills offset for a portion of their length to fit said section and being secured to its flanges.

4. The combination of draft sills spaced apart a regulation distance, a standard rolled section positioned between said sills, said section having horizontal web and vertical flanges, said sills being distorted to fit the flanges of said section.

5. The combination of draft sills spaced apart a regulation distance, a horizontally disposed member with vertical flanges po- I bracing member therehetween.

sitioned between said sills and contacting therewith, portions of the Webs of eachof said sills being *displaced to, fit said member.

6 The combination of a pair of draft sills, a portion thereof spaced apart a regulation distance and a second portion thereof spaced a differentdistance apart, and a horizontally disposed flanged member fitting between said second portion with its vertical flanges riveted to the sills.

7. The combination of a pair of draft sills, each having a vertical member, oppositely disposed portions of which members are parallel and spaced from each other a regulation distance to accommodate a draft gear and another portion of which members are parallel and spaced from each other a slightly less distance to accommodate thcrebetween a flanged commercially rolled section which has a horizontally disposed web portion, which web portion is of predetermined width differing from the said regulation spacing to accommodate draft gear.

8. The combination of a pair of channel draft sills, a portion thereof spaced apart a regulation distance and another portion thereof vertically above the first portion bemg spaced aparta different distance to accommodate a horizontally disposed channel 9. The combination of a bolster, a air of draft sills extending forwardly an rearwardly therefrom in a plurality of parallel lines, the forward portion of said sills being I positioned apart a regulation distance to orm a definite space to accommodate a. draft gear, and, a bracing member comprising a horizontally disposed rolled channel extending transversely to said bolster and fitting between said sills in rear of said draft gear space. i

10. In an underframe, 'the' combination comprising a horizontally disposed rolled section with spaced vertical flanges and pressed metal sills secured to said flanges for a part of their length and spaced farther apart than said flanges for another part of their length,

11. The combination comprising a horizontally disposed member, of uniform width, having spaced vertical flanges, and

spaced draft sills having vertical webs sei cured to said flanges, the webs of said sills being disposed in. a plurality of vertical planes.

12. The combination comprising a horizontally disposed member, of uniform width, having spaced vertical flanges, and spaced draft sills of non-uniform depth se cured thereto, the webs of said sills being deflected from perpendicular lines to contact with said flanges. v

13. The combination comprising a'horizontally disposed member, of uniform width having spaced vertical flanges, and spaced pressed draft sills having vertical webs which are deflected transversely to contact with said flanges.

14. The combination comprising a horizontally dlsposed member, of ur .form width having spaced vertical flanges, a bolster having a portion thereof extending betweensaid vertical flanges, said bolster having extensions projecting beyond said member, and spaced draft sills provided withvertical webs with deflected portions lapping said member and said bolster.

15. Thecombination comprising a horil zontally disposed member, of uniform width, having spaced vertical flanges, and pressed 'metaldraft sills, the webs of which are deflected from vertical planes at their upper portions, lapping and secured to said flanges.

16. The combination comprising a horizontally disposed member, of uniform width, having spaced vertical flanges, a bolster having a portion thereof extending between said flanges, and spaced draft sills with vertical webs having inwardly deflected upper portions la ping and secured to said flanges.

17. T e combination comprising a commercially rolled member with horizontal web and depending flanges, of pressed draft sills of non-uniform depth secured to said spaced draft; sills having vertical we s with inset portions secured to said flanges, and other vertical portions spaced apart a greater distance than the distance between said flanges.

19. The combination comprising a commercially rolled member with horizontal web and depending flanges, spaced. draft sills having portions of their webs deflected inwardly and upwardly, and a bolster part extending between said flanges and below said upwardly deflected portion of the draft sills,

20. The combination comprising a commercially rolled member with horizontal web and depending flanges, a bolster part secured to the web of said commercial memberand extending transversely beyond the same, and pressed draft sills of channel form in cross section having web portions deflected from a perpendicular line to contact directly with said flanges, and having other portions secured to portions of said bolster part which extend transversely beyond .the flanges of said" commercial section.

' within t draft sills overlying said bolster part, said.

sills bein spaced apart. different distances Ii eir upper and lower portions'at one side of said bolster.

22. In combination,- parallel spaced draft r sills having top and bottom flanges, said top flanges being parallel substantially throughout the length of the sills, and the webs of said sills being offset to contact with an interposed spacing member secured thereto at one portion and diiferently spaced at another portion to accommodate a standard draft gear.

23. In combination, a bolster and spaced draft sills which are parallel substantially throughout their length at each side of said bolster and are deflected slightly transversely outwardly from or beyond said bolster to accommodate a standard draft gear, and a horizontally disposed channel interposed between said sp'aced draft sills.

24. In a, car underframe comprising a bolster, a cross-bearer, spaced draft sills which extend substantially parallel from their outer ends to the cross-bearer, a commercially formed section with vertical flanges secured between the said sills at each side of the bolster, the outer end portions of said draft sills being spaced apart a greater distance than the width of said section.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. ROHLFING.

Witnesses:

JAmis J. COOPER, A. MENDEZE.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

' l Washington, D. 0. 

